If you enjoy spending time antiquing, you’ll notice how easy it is to spot certain items that are no longer in heavy rotation: vintage tin signs painted with historical slogans, heavy castiron pots, and – occasionally – oversized wooden rulers. Renovator Raina was lucky enough to find one (although given her DIY skills, I wouldn’t be surprised if she whipped this one up in an afternoon!), and I love the idea of transforming it into a sentimental height chart for those ever-growing kids.

By placing it in an often-unused area of the home (stairways are notoriously difficult to decorate around!), the ruler commands attention to everyone passing by. And if you paint the wall it rests upon in a dry erase or chalkboard paint, you can turn that decorative item into a functional (temporary!) height marker for your family.

My father grew up on a farm with his seven siblings, and every year we’d visit, we’d mark our heights on a wooden door with a measuring tape adhered to it. The tradition was memorable, but the decorative effects made for an even more sentimental statement. Can you imagine what a wooden door might look like with over 40 annual measurements scrawled in ballpoint pen? Quirky and charming, yes, but also the sign of a well-loved home.

So why not give it a go? Transform your unused space into a happy growth chart for the little ones. (And if you’re not lucky enough to find an oversized ruler or a few vintage yardsticks, take it from my grandparents – any old wooden door will do.)

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Welcome to "Musings", FLOR's blog dedicated to design inspiration. We've invited a few of our friends to share their personal design thoughts and experiences. We hope you leave feeling empowered and return to be inspired.